Last Saturday I went for a walk on the Conservancy’s Brigg’s boardwalk at Rookery Bay. I made a new friend there, Joe Davenport of Manship Films. He interviewed me for a project called the Greater Everglades Conservation Atlas, which will allow online visitors to explore the greater Everglades of Florida in a virtual format.
The project was conceived and created by the Legacy Institute for Nature and Culture (LINC), and I feel quite honored to be a part of it. Ten artists are creating artwork in different spots throughout Florida: my area is the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Reserve.
The project was conceived and created by the Legacy Institute for Nature and Culture (LINC), and I feel quite honored to be a part of it. Ten artists are creating artwork in different spots throughout Florida: my area is the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Reserve.
Saturday was an overcast and cold day. There were cool breezes that lingered with a kind of softness that hinted at moisture in the air. The sun was visible here and there through the tattered blanket of clouds – reflecting the kind of light that mutes colors but also makes them a bit luminous. We heard songbirds, but only saw a few. In the distance across the lake were great egrets, and perhaps some ibis, flocking in to the shoreline around noon.
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| The path to the pavilion winds through pines and palmettos...and poison ivy! |
The boardwalk winds through several habitats: scrub, hammock, wetlands, and pine flatwoods. At a raised open pavilion I made a small watercolor sketch of the surrounding slash pines and palmettos. Above me was a gnarled old pine silhouetted against the grey skies. Later we walked through mangrove and buttonwood stands, and I sketched some of the leaves and branches I saw along the boardwalk.
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| (You can click on the image to view it larger) |
I’m not sure what my subject will be yet for the Atlas, there are so many possibilities and I want to do them all! Alas, like most projects, there are deadlines. Limitations are good, though, because they keep us moving and open us to creative solutions.
Another facet of the Everglades Conservation Atlas is the Florida Wildlife CorridorExpedition, which started today (January 17th)! Starting at the southern tip of peninsular Florida, a team will hike, bike, and paddle 1,000 miles along the Florida Wildlife Corridor, ending 100 days later in northern Florida. You can see their route here; you can also click here to follow their progress on Facebook.
I wish them all the best!
Fantastic, Elizabeth!!!! Love your pages, too. Such a dilemma on what to feature... I like your outlook and can't wait to see the outcome :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam! I’m still debating, believe it or not! I’m so behind – I need to come visit your blog and see what you’ve been up to. Another lovely full moon post, perhaps?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being chosen to do the artwork for this project! Your pages will be wonderful. (Our guide for the Calusa walk at Rookery Bay the other day told the group that everything in FL "stings, sticks, or stinks" and pointed out the poison ivy along the path.)
ReplyDeleteHi Sue, thank you - I am just one of many people contributing, but I feel honored! Your comment made me laugh...Florida does have a lot of those three "S" words!! The poison ivy seems to have particularly well this year, to. ;)
ReplyDeleteWe'll be sketching at Fakahatchee this Saturday if you'd like to join us! See the EVENTS tab above for details.
Congratulations--that sounds like such a worthwhile project to be involved with! I have never been to the Everglades and definitely want to visit there someday. I've also heard about the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition, and hope it does some good. I feel like FL has taken two steps back recently in regards to conservation.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Kathy! I'm sure you would love the Everglades - just remember it's most comfortable in the winter months! the Expedition does sounds exciting doesn't it? If I were younger (and could make the time), I would love to try that myself!!
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